


Sympathetic Substitutions

by Evening_Bat



Category: Daredevil (Comics), Daredevil (TV)
Genre: M/M, Marvel 616/MCU Crossover, alternate universe shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 09:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4386731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evening_Bat/pseuds/Evening_Bat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unrequited love sucked, but Foggy was used to it.  He just wasn't expecting to meet a Matt that was used to it too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sympathetic Substitutions

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently _this_ is the 616/MCU prompt on the kinkmeme that finally tackled my fickle muse into submission? Thanks, OP! :D

Life never really did run out of ways to surprise a guy, Foggy thought as he stared at the amber liquid sloshing in the bottom of his glass. The aliens that had attacked New York had sure been one hell of a shock. And then the Avengers. And the exposure - and subsequent implosion - of SHIELD. Just for starters. And after he’d adjusted to all of _that_ , he’d found out that Matt was actually some kind of vigilante superhero, waging a one-man war on crime in Hell’s Kitchen. 

...Which, okay. He was _still_ getting used to that.

He lifted his glass, tipping it back as he drained it in a single swallow. He grimaced at the burn of the cheap liquor, closing his eyes as it hit his stomach in a bloom of warmth. False comfort maybe, but he’d take it.

“Uh, is this seat taken?”

Foggy slitted one eye open, resisting the urge to sigh at the tall redhead standing beside him, eyes screened from view by red sunglasses, folded white cane in one hand and a full bottle in the other.

Because, yeah. Apparently the universe thought that having to accept _one_ Matt-as-Daredevil wasn’t enough challenge for Foggy Nelson. So now he had _two_ of him - them? - to deal with. And another version of _himself_ , for good measure.

“I mean, I know I’m probably one of the things you’re trying to get away from,” Other Matt continued, “but I’d really rather not be drinking alone tonight. And you heard all the warnings they gave us about mixing with the natives until we have a better grasp of what happened…”

And hadn’t _that_ been a trip? Foggy finally getting a chance to visit Stark Tower and meet the Avengers, because alternate universe versions of himself and Matt had walked into their law office this afternoon. (And thank _God_ they’d already let Karen in on the Daredevil sideline; Foggy was sure that explaining _that_ along with the surprise duplicates would have turned a confusing afternoon into an epic clusterfuck.) Foggy had held out for an hour and a half of technobabble before noticing how tired his alter-self had looked, so he’d interrupted the theorizing to announce that he was taking himself - himselves? - home for a break. The Matts had looked concerned, but Foggy - both of him, he’d been unwillingly amused to notice - had waved them off before leaving them to figure out the mess. 

But while the other Foggy might have needed a nap, Foggy was in desperate need of a drink. So after he got himself - his other self? God, the semantics of this situation were going to fry more brain cells than Foggy could afford to lose - settled in his apartment, with the number of his cell programmed into the burner that he normally used for Daredevil conversations and left with him in case of emergency, Foggy took himself off to Josie’s. And he’d been doing a pretty good job of temporarily ignoring the insanity of the day, hiding here at the far end of the bar, until it turned up again to interfere with his evening plans.

But while this other Matt wasn’t the Matt Foggy knew best, he recognized that small, hopeful smile, and he’d never been any good at saying no when it was turned on him.

“If you’re willing to share that bottle, then the seat’s all yours,” Foggy said, mood lightening despite himself when Other Matt’s expression broadened into a beaming grin at the invitation.

“That was the plan,” he agreed, as he carefully placed the bottle on the bar, reaching with his now-free hand for the back of the empty chair beside Foggy. He even produced a second glass with a showy flourish, though Foggy was pretty sure he’d had it tucked in one of his jacket pockets.

Foggy busied himself with cracking the bottle open as Other Matt got comfortable, pouring them both generous measures before capping it again. He nudged the glass over to Other Matt’s hand, wondering over how casually capable he acted. Foggy knew that Matt didn’t need his guidance any more than this one did, but he acted a lot more, well, _blind_ when he was out and about in public.

They were both dramatic little shits, though, so Foggy wasn’t really all that surprised when Other Matt lifted his glass in a toast.

“To goatee-free alternate universe meetings?” he proposed, mouth quirking into a self-satisfied grin when Foggy snorted laughter into his glass.

“I’ll drink to that,” Foggy agreed, reaching over to tap their glasses together.

“Is Foggy - my Foggy - okay?” Other Matt asked after knocking back a healthy slug of Josie’s finest.

Foggy nodded, giving in to long habit and narrating the gesture as he answered the question. “Seemed all right when I left him. Just tired. Uh, is there something I should be on the lookout for?”

Other Matt shook his head slowly, and Foggy could see his brow furrowing over the bridge of his glasses. “No, it’s just...he’s been sick. And he’s over the worst of it, but falling into another universe was kind of rough on him. I was worried.”

Sick, huh? Yeah, Foggy supposed that explained a few things about how drawn his other self had seemed earlier. Other Matt had said he was over the worst of it, Foggy reminded himself uneasily, and they were different people besides.

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” he offered aloud. “He was okay as of an hour or so ago. And if he’s anything like me, he’ll speak up if he’s got something to complain about.”

This time it was Foggy’s turn to be smug over startling a laugh from his drinking buddy.

“That’s true enough,” Other Matt agreed through his chuckles. “He’s never been shy on that front. And you don’t sound as if you are, either.”

Foggy hadn’t expected it to be so _easy_ , sitting here drinking with Other Matt, even after the conversation lapsed into a pleasantly comfortable silence. Maybe there was enough of Matt-Matt in this Matt to smooth over the impossibility of his presence.

“Are we really so different?” Other Matt asked, apparently deciding to prove they were anything but by following Foggy’s train of thought as easily as Matt ever had. “Me and your Matt?”

Foggy breathed through the familiar twist in his chest at the casual “your Matt”. Matt wasn’t _his_ , not the way Foggy wanted him to be.

“Kind of,” he answered. “In some ways. I mean, side by side? It looks like the four of us have switched colouring or something.”

“No,” Other Matt breathed, looking delighted. “You’re a carrot top?”

“Well,” Foggy dragged the word out before admitting, “more blond than red. But definitely more red than brown. Over here, Matt’s got the brown hair and brown eyes.”

Other Matt leaned forward, fingers twitching on the bar top. “So yours are what? Blue?” 

“Ish. More of a hazel, I guess. Blue in the right light, though.”

“Guess that’s what Foggy meant when he said I wear brown better than he ever did,” Other Matt said, thoughtful tone belied by his wide, gleeful grin. 

“Matt does make it look good,” Foggy agreed.

He only realized his mistake when Other Matt turned sharply towards him, lips parting as he drew in a startled breath.

_Goddamned super senses!_ Foggy mentally swore as he hastily added, “Not that you aren’t doing a fine job of pulling off the red and blue combo!”

He briefly enjoyed seeing Other Matt’s mouth curl into a slow, pleased smirk before what he’d said sank in.

“Oh, fuck my life,” Foggy groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. “Just ignore me. Apparently my ability to be inappropriately flirtatious to Matt Murdocks I’ve just met transcends universal boundaries.”

Keeping one hand splayed across his face, blush burning hot against his fingers, he groped blindly for the bottle. This called for a fresh double. He couldn’t help but jump slightly in his seat when a warm hand settled over his, fingers curling lightly around the edge of his hand as a thumb stroked softly against the inside of his wrist. Gathering his courage, he peered through his fingers and found Other Matt smiling at him, a softer, happier expression than he’d seen yet on the man.

“I don’t think I could ignore you if I tried,” Other Matt said, voice low and warm.

Foggy swallowed hard, hand dropping away from his face as he took in the frankly appreciative expression on Other Matt’s face, the steady warmth of his hand as he shifted his grip to something slightly more possessive. For a split second, Foggy considered pulling away. Other - no, _Matt_ \- would let him go, he was sure, and it would be the smart thing to do. But damn it, Foggy couldn’t help but wonder where this was going. He’d always been too curious for his own good. And Matt had always, _always_ been one of his weaknesses. Apparently _that_ crossed universal boundaries too.

“Is that what this is about?” he asked as he shook their joined hands, not missing Matt’s shiver at the roughness of his voice. “I mean, am I reading this right? Are you seriously making a move? On _me?_ ”

“And if I am?” Matt challenged softly. “Because I can tell you one difference between me and your Matt: I’m not inclined to ignore how your heartbeat’s racing right now. Or the way your breath catches every time I touch you.”

“ _Such_ a creeper,” Foggy managed, but he figured the protest was undermined by the tight clutch of his hand on Matt’s. “Thought you had somebody back home?”

“I did.” Matt’s grip loosened slightly as his smile turned sad. “Kirsten was - _is_ \- amazing, and Foggy keeps hoping we’ll get back together. He thinks we’re good together, and he’s probably right. But she wants to be the star of her own story instead of just getting caught up in mine, and I don’t blame her.”

“Aw, Matt…” Foggy couldn’t help but reach over and catch Matt’s hand between both of his own.

Matt shook his head, quick to add his other hand to the tangle between them. “She deserves the best. And whatever else happened with us, I loved him for years before I met her.”

Oh, Foggy thought numbly, pieces falling into place in the wake of Matt’s quiet confession. So _that’s_ what this was about. 

“So I’m - what? - the next best thing? Or maybe you figure we can do each other a favour? Since I’m guessing you sniffed out the way I feel about my - I mean, this world’s Matt.” 

Matt’s fingers tightened almost painfully on Foggy’s hands. “I don’t know how any Matt could be stupid enough not to want you back. And yeah, I thought maybe we could help each other out, because Foggy’s my best friend, and I wouldn’t give him up for the world, but if overlapping universes give me a shot at something more - even for a night - then I’m going to take it. If you want.”

“Just for a night?” Foggy couldn’t quite keep the bitterness out of his voice as he tugged his hands free. He’d had his share of one night stands, but he didn’t think he could handle any version of Matt being one of them.

The gentle brush of fingers against his jaw brought his head snapping up, and Matt cupped his cheek in one calloused hand as he leaned across the distance between them. His free hand tugged his glasses off, baring his face as he “looked” straight at Foggy from inches away. “The Avengers might send us home tomorrow. But I’d take as many nights with you as I can get. I mean, I’m not this world’s Matt. But maybe I can be your Matt? For tonight, at least?”

“This is crazy,” Foggy whispered, licking his lips. It was completely, stupidly crazy, but he was going to say yes. He didn’t have it in him to turn Matt down, not when he was asking like this, all soft touches and wistful smiles and wanting Foggy like his Matt never had.

Oh, fuck it. In for a penny, Foggy thought as he slid one hand around the back of Matt’s neck and pulled him into a heated kiss. Matt’s response was enthusiastic and immediate. He gave as good as he got, and they were both breathless when they pulled apart.

“I hope you’ve got someplace to go,” Foggy said as he collected his jacket from the back of his chair, hastily shrugging into it as he caught his breath. “Because my apartment’s occupied, and I refuse to take this back to Matt’s.”

“The Avengers offered me a room at Stark Tower,” Matt said, sliding his hand into the crook of Foggy’s arm as soon as they were both standing. “I think you should walk me home. Maybe come inside so we can continue swapping stories about the differences between our universes.”

“Is that the story you’re going with?” Foggy asked, torn between amused and appalled as they threaded their way through the bar and out onto the street. Everyone would know the truth in _seconds_ , and it would make the next few days (weeks, _months_ ) excruciatingly awkward.

But weighed against the desperate clutch of Matt’s hands in his hair, the hot, wet slide of their mouths together, and the fragilely hopeful look on Matt’s face right now...it would be absolutely _worth it_.

“Want me to lead the way?”

**Author's Note:**

> I join the rest of the commenters on the original prompt (here, for the curious: http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/3230.html?thread=6580894#cmt6580894, along with QueenWithABeeThrone's excellent fill) in thinking that 616!Foggy figures them out, like, _immediately_. And that MCU!Matt lurks on the sidelines of the drama, silently _writhing in jealousy_ and moping because Foggy's not _supposed_ to like other Matts better.


End file.
